Drew Barrymore has reversed course, now deciding to pause her eponymous talk show as the writers strike in Hollywood drags on.
The 48-year-old celebrity faced enormous pressure following her decision to keep filming during the strike. It was enough to change her mind on the matter.
“I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over,” Barrymore posted to more than 17 million Instagram followers on Sunday. “I have no words to express my deepest apologies to anyone I have hurt and, of course, to our incredible team who works on the show and has made it what it is today. We really tried to find our way forward. And I truly hope for a resolution for the entire industry very soon.”
View this post on Instagram
“The Drew Barrymore Show” was scheduled to return on Monday, September 18, without her three union writers. It had already resumed taping last week, which resulted in picketers showing up outside CBS Studios.
“We support Drew’s decision to pause the show’s return and understand how complex and difficult this process has been for her,” a CBS Media Ventures spokesperson told Variety in a statement.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP
Other daytime shows have resumed and are technically not breaking the rules of the strike under certain conditions, per The Guardian. That includes not promoting work covered by television, theatrical, or streaming contracts. “The View” and other programs have returned to television because they also fall under the “Network Code,” which makes them technically exempt.
“The Talk” and “The Jennifer Hudson Show” were also scheduled to come back on air Monday but have now decided to take a pause.
Barrymore said in a now-deleted video that she was trying to make the right decision for her employees while still respecting the terms of the strike.
“I know there is just nothing I can do that will make this OK to those that it is not OK with. I fully accept that,” the talk show host said in the video posted to Instagram Friday. “I just want everyone to know my intentions have never been in a place to upset or hurt anymore. It’s not who I am.”
“I certainly couldn’t have expected this kind of attention,” she continued. “I wanted to do this because as I said, this is bigger than me, and there are other people’s jobs on the line.”